An Australian study has found a crucial cellular structure responsible for calcium transport, the TRPM3 ion channel, was faulty in immune cells from people with ME/CFS. "The faulty ion channels act like 'stuck doors', preventing cells from receiving the calcium they need." tinyurl.com/5n6ppsev

FLEXI (Flexible Learning, Employability, eXperience, Inclusion) is Astriid’s new community support initiative, designed to help people with long-term health conditions explore employment possibilities in an immersive, inclusive way. Webinars begin Feb. tinyurl.com/enhys2j4

A look at what is and isn't known about ageing with ME. tinyurl.com/4sxw7yd8

OMF gives an introduction to reading scientific papers, the typical structure of manuscripts and how to get the most out of a paper. tinyurl.com/eb8da695

Disabled People Against Cuts Cymru (DPAC Cymru) has today launched an open appeal to the panel members of the 'Timms review' citing concerns over the fairness of the review, which could affect more than 275,000 people in Wales claiming PIP. tinyurl.com/5d7p33wb

It is now 30 years since the passing of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which was replaced by the Equality Act 2010 in Great Britain. This guide to reasonable adjustments has been developed with employers in mind. tinyurl.com/ms2fyrk

Dr Nancy Klimas discusses chronic illness diagnosis & management, from the clinician’s & the patient’s perspectives & why patient advocacy & informed awareness of symptoms & triggers can play a critical role in the healing process. [36 mins] +Transcript +Chapters tinyurl.com/bdz2d6m7

The Older People's Commissioner is looking at how social care services in Wales could be improved, and wants to hear from older people across Wales about their experiences of receiving care and support. Complete the questionnaire by 30 January 2026. tinyurl.com/4z6bwt7d

OMF briefly explains how Symptom burden is especially complicated in ME/CFS and it can be challenging to measure all the facets of it in research. tinyurl.com/5n9xym9t

The number of personal independence payment planned reviews carried out in the most recent quarter has almost doubled compared to the preceding year, the latest DWP statistics show, but success rates for both reviews and fresh claims have fallen. tinyurl.com/5n6vt78m

MERUK introduces a study that showed people with ME/CFS have multiple maladaptive responses in the body's proteins to exercise. tinyurl.com/28e3vfrv

The Cambrian news has highlighted the points raised in the Senedd debate - the invisible community of people with ME, the need for more and consistent services for people with ME, and for research. tinyurl.com/3z5r3y84

B&W gives an overview of the many changes proposed to the Benefits system in 2026 but believes "claimant activism could still work the same wonders in 2026 as it did in 2025." tinyurl.com/mpw87x2j

There's still time to register for “From Mystery to Measurable: The Science Behind the New ME/CFS Blood Test”, on 15 Jan, 5pm UK time. A discussion of the development of the EpiSwitch CFS test & its potential impact on diagnosing & treating people with ME/CFS & Long Covid. tinyurl.com/3v25dzht

Yanthe Buntinx writes about chronic pain in ME/CFS, discussing links with the immune system and lifestyle factors. tinyurl.com/3j9ptpzr

Dr Jarred Younger discusses a study using the #DecodeME data to look at genetic disease signatures in ME/CFS. He concludes that altered genes alone don't cause ME, there are at least 4 subgroups & there will never be 1 single cure for ME.[16 mins] +Transcript tinyurl.com/552ws59e

MERUK looks at the Australian study that found concurrent dysfunction across multiple biological systems. The authors noted that longitudinal studies, following patients over time, could help clarify whether these biological changes are stable or fluctuate with disease course. tinyurl.com/3ta5e524

A look at British researcher Lara Romero Riego's exploration of the literature on the influence of exhaustion on sexual function in people with ME/CFS. tinyurl.com/3astaw7h

Me Time is a series of online activities for carers in Wales. January's activities include: Writing for Joy (15th); PERMA model of wellbeing (20th); Laughter Medicine Workshop (22nd); Power of attorney (27th) tinyurl.com/4fusrzux

Cort Johnson explores the Australian study which investigates energy metabolism, blood proteins and immune cell findings together, to determine how the different systems in the body are interacting with each other. tinyurl.com/pwja8b7d

The Short Breaks Scheme supports unpaid carers of all ages in Wales to take a break from their caring role. Funding continues until 2029. tinyurl.com/48r3us9x

An excerpt from INVISIBLE ILLNESS: A HISTORY, FROM HYSTERIA TO LONG COVID by Emily Mendenhal. "there remains reticence to embrace the ways in which viral infections fuel long-term neurological & systemic disorders that can radically transform someone’s health." tinyurl.com/yun26tf5

“Hands Off Our Handles,” a campaign advocating against people touching or grabbing wheelchairs without consent. “Touched, Moved, Groped, Assaulted, and Kidnapped” is how disabled people can feel. tinyurl.com/3sabry37

OMF briefly highlights the citric acid cycle (TCA cycle), a series of chemical reactions that occur in the mitochondria, with the primary purpose of producing energy. www.omf.ngo/tca-cycle/

Some ppl r waiting more than a year to have their disability benefit claims processed, which risks pushing them into debt and poverty, MPs have warned. A report by cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the department was providing "unacceptably poor service levels". tinyurl.com/yep5rjrv

Francisco Westermeier, PhD: "What surprised us most was how clearly the data pointed toward the need for stratification." tinyurl.com/497m2mr8

What if the fact that ME/CFS looks different from person to person is actually the key to understanding it? That’s the question driving Dr. Zack Shan’s work at the Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, in Australia. tinyurl.com/3daff4af tinyurl.com/yz4dmkmy

First online PRIME project wksp: 2-5pm 21 Jan 26. Aimed at researchers, industry ptrs & others who want to learn about PRIME & explore how QM inc AI have been applied to ME & LC & how they cd be used in future research. Public welcome. Register in advance tinyurl.com/4mxdzk52

Dr Missailidis' team has used a multi-omics approach anal how different biol. processes interact & influence each other. They found a distinct pattern of lipid accumulation in ME/CFS with potential 4 metabolic biomarkers to help dx & monitor dx progression tinyurl.com/mvbtkdwu

The World Health Network remind people that health is not just an individual matter. Infectious diseases move through shared air and shared spaces. Small everyday choices can either slow that spread or allow it to continue… It requires intention and a few reliable habits. tinyurl.com/254m53bp

DRUK critiques the UK Gov's record on Disabled people and questions their incentives and plans for the coming year as illogical, disjointed and harmful. "The Government needs to stop thinking about Disabled people within separate boxes and budget lines and join the dots." tinyurl.com/mry6n6p8

Dr Bateman explains why the ME/CFS framework offers a well-established approach to assessment and management, including for individuals who experience overlapping symptoms but do not meet the full criteria for an ME/CFS diagnosis. 14 Jan 2026 5pm UK time. Register in advance tinyurl.com/ykvhtsff

Siebe Rozendal re-analyzed the 2023 TREATME study results using AI to find the treatments that made the biggest difference to people with ME/CFS & LC. tinyurl.com/mr3286rx

If you have ME and live anywhere in North Wales you are invited to join the private North Wales ME Group on Facebook to ‘meet’ and chat to each other. tinyurl.com/39dx5dk4

The Dutch funding agency ZonMw has issued a new call on drug repurposing for patients with ME/CFS. It aims to fund projects focused on clinical research into the effectiveness of an existing medicine (off-patent) as a new application. The budget is € 3,5 million. tinyurl.com/2tsevj27

Jennifer McMurray explores the historical and contemporary societal views on ME, also looking to show how societal values influence views on illness and morality. tinyurl.com/y6kywkvt

Dr Theoharis Theoharides discusses the scientific foundations of brain fog, clarifying the definition, physiological mechanisms, and how it presents across various illnesses and cognitive disorders. [22 mins] +Transcript +Chapters tinyurl.com/mwy7jpkc

Spanish study found that “fundamentally different anti-stress mechanisms” are at play in ME/CFS & long COVID muscles. Genes associated with mitochondrial activation were turned down in ME/CFS & LC were trying to activate the mitochondria & produce more energy. tinyurl.com/4za54dj3

Strategies for assessment and management of Long COVID and ME/CFS in children/paediatric populations. [46 mins] +Transcript + Chapters tinyurl.com/ye7rpcsc

Discussion of the new blood-based assay, the EpiSwitch ME/CFS blood test, and its potential impact on diagnosing and treating people with ME/CFS and Long Covid. Thurs 15 Jan, 5 PM UK time. Register in advance. tinyurl.com/3bfj4dw3

The DWP is refusing to explain which disabled people it expects to lose out from nearly £2 billion in new cuts to disability benefits, six weeks after the “savings” were quietly revealed in budget documents. tinyurl.com/ybdp665s

A small study has discovered that a significantly higher level of respiratory abnormalities are found in ME/CFS (58%) than in healthy controls (16%) i.e. hyperventilation or dysfunctional breathing. Research is needed to assess if breathing retraining techniques might help. tinyurl.com/3pvruyct

Dr Jarred Younger explains about his new LDN study for ME/CFS which is under regulatory review and will hopefully begin before mid-2026. [5 mins] +Transcript tinyurl.com/nnsxr6fm

The Milburn review has called for evidence from the public, including: - young disabled people & people with health conditions - young people not in employment, education, or training - parents & carers for young people Closing date Fri 30 January tinyurl.com/28rtv7mn

Australian Alem Matthees, one of the key challengers of the PACE trial, has shared with David Tuller his experience of becoming very severely affected, he is now slowly recovering some function, reminding us that improvement is possible. tinyurl.com/2rwhp645

Cort Johnson gives an overview of the work of the Open Medicine Foundation, one of the largest private funders of ME/CFS research. Top researchers like Prof Ron Davis, Dr David Systron Prof Jonas Bergquist & Dr Chris Armstrong are working around the world on varying topics. tinyurl.com/2eejk9ve

AfME CEO Sonya Chowdhury calls for research & treatment to build on recent development & for funding for ME research to be equitable with other illnesses. That would mean £18.5 million instead of the £8.05 million spent on ME research over the last 10 years. tinyurl.com/bdzb8efw

The DWP is now requiring the proportion of face-to-face assessments to be increased to 30% for both PIP & the WCA, from April 2026. It will still be able request an alternative form of assessment if travelling to an assessment centre is difficult. tinyurl.com/4kmwscp8

MERUK reviews its 2025 activities in high quality biomedical research, describing how they invest, inform and influence. tinyurl.com/bddp5ezs

ME/CFS Science Blog reviews the most interesting ME/CFS studies in 2025, including DecodeME, the daratumumab trial, autopsy findings from the Netherlands, and the most extensive study on antibodies in ME/CFS to date. tinyurl.com/25wjuc3m